Headlines:

Don’t Ignore Irregular Heartbeat

Participate from Home: A Study on Heart Health and Detection of AFib

Thyroid 101: Getting Down to Basics

Avoid Body Drought — How to Prevent Dehydration

How Penn Medicine Centralized Its Fragmented Spine Referral Process

Need a Helping Hand? Massage Benefits Reach Beyond Relaxation

How CHI Memorial Increased Access To Lung Cancer Screening With a Bus

5 Ways to Help Victims of Crime Cope With Trauma

How Health Plans Can Improve Behavioral Health Access

Dietary Supplements Can Support Your Immune System

Epilepsy Tragedies Stir Reform for Emergency Personnel

Sanitize Your Nose: Help Protect Yourself and Others from Infection

Building a Better Bridge From Hospital to Home Health Care

The Oncology Leader’s Advanced Practitioner Toolkit

Cancer Clinical Trials See Shortage of Participants

Infant Health Inequity

Tips to Help Older Adults Stay Apart, Not Alone During COVID-19

World Restart a Heart Day Highlights CPR Safety

Don’t Let Diabetes Wipe That Smile From Your Face

Fitness Has a New Focus During Medicare Open Enrollment Time

“Keep Up The Rates” Campaign Encourages Vaccination Amidst COVID-19

Stem Cells Research

Herbal Elderberry Supplements Support Sleep and Immunity

Cancer Center Finds Smokeless Tobacco May Help You Quit

Certain Medicare Plans Could Offer Members Food Assistance Benefits

Health Officials Still Focused on COVID, Despite Rise in Opiod Epidemic

Blood Pressure Control Starts With Measuring Accurately

Oral Health Tips for a Timeless Smile

Enjoy Pregnancy Without Foot Pain

Best Tips to a Health Lifestyle You Need to Understand

Don’t Let COVID-19 Impact Your Credit Score

Military Veterans, Here’s What You Need to Consider About Medicare

Clinical Trials Seek Cancer Patients

Don’t Ignore Irregular Heart-Related Complications

Your Blood’s Amazing Trip Through Your Vascular System

MyFreePharmacy Takes the Pain Out of Filling Prescriptions

Getting the Most of Medicare Prescription Drug Home Delivery

Students’ Mental Health Must Figure in Plans to Restart Classes

Do we need a dedicated global agency that would deal with covid 19 and other future pandemics?

Professional Diseases

Drug-Free Device Simplifies Sinus Pain Relief

Should Your Exercise Routine Include Massage?

Helping Teens Improve Mental Health by Finding Happiness

Need More Treatment Options? Cancer Clinical Trials May Help

Better Immunity is Just a Spray Away For Health

About Palliative Therapies To Treat Mesothelioma

5 Tips to Practice Good Public Hygiene

Should animals be used in research?

Dry Eye: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Women’s Hearts Need Attention

Mental Health of Students Must Figure in Restarting Classes

Self-care on Your Schedule with Mental Wellness App

NFL Superstar and Family Tackle High Blood Pressure

A One-of-a-Kind Lifeline: A First Responder’s Kidney Health Journey

5 Tips to Save Money While Getting Quality Health Care

Study Shows Older Americans Are Coping Best During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Why Getting a Flu Shot Makes Sense

Tips to Help You Avoid Cold and Flu All Year

Turning 65: What to Consider When Selecting a Medicare Plan

How to Safely Select Your 2022 Medicare Plan During The COVID-19 Pandemic

Seven Ways to Support Healthy Blood Pressure During Pregnancy

HIV/AIDS: What Methods of Treatment Can the Modern Medicine Offer?

Insulin Production Of UNDBIO Supported By Sen Manchin And WV Officials

Is Your Family at Risk for Hypothyroidism?

Three Tips to Avoid Heartburn

New Treatment Shows Signs of Curbing Cancer Growth

Should the State Regulate Social Media Use to Prevent Its Negative Impact on Mental Health and Social Media Addiction?

How to Maximize Your 2022 Medicare Advantage Plan

Control Your Blood Pressure, Protect Your Body Health

Colorectal Cancer Screening Options Reduce Disparities

Ultrasound Technology Helps Clean and Whiten Teeth With Braces

Expert Offers Tips to Boost Your Immunity

Novel Cell Therapy May Improve Heart Failure Symptoms

How to Maximize Your Medicare Plan in 2023

Should unhealthy people be refused emergency organ transplants due to their lifestyle choices?

Patty Duke Family Reunites for Dinner: Medicare on the Menu

Stay Smart When Using OTC Pain Medicines

Fitness Has a New Focus During Medicare Open Enrollment Time

The Newest Diagnostic Exam Aging Adults Can’t Miss: The Elderoscopy

Arm Your Medicine Cabinet for Cold and Flu Season

Five Tips You Need to Know about Prescription Home Delivery

Can’t Stop Smoking? Protect Your Smile

Homeopathic Medicine

Expand Your Self-Care Horizon with Quantum Energy

Program Teaches EMS Workers How to Respond to Epilepsy

Novel Drug Shows Potential to Repair Stroke Damage

Got Diabetes? Take Your Multivitamin

Now There’s a Painless Cure for the Most Common Cancer Type

Why Getting a Flu Shot Makes Sense

Regenerative Medicine May Help Avoid Surgery

Yes, Most Insurance Plans Cover Chiropractic Care

Artificial Coma

Three Things Every Contact Lens Wearer Should Know

Can Chiropractic Care Help Treat Obesity?

Putting Psoriasis to Rest Starts with Relieving Stress

Is Your Eye Makeup Making You Sick? What You Need to Know

Every Lung Cancer Patient Should Ask About Biomarkers

Cell Therapy May Improve Heart Failure Symptoms

Medicinal Mushroom Supplement AHCC Helps Clear “Invisible” HPV Infections

New Law Makes It Easier to Save on Prescription Costs

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Yale OB/GYN Offers Helpful Tips to Prep for Pregnancy
Pregnancy

Date

Following a significant drop in babies born in the last year, some forecasters are now predicting a ‘mini baby boom’ in 2022.

If you are now considering starting or growing your family, maximizing fertility and learning about your health is a critical place to begin. The below Q&A will help guide you as you embark on your path to pregnancy.

How long will it take to get pregnant? What’s normal, and what’s not?First, some basic guidelines: it is possible that you may get pregnant the first time you try -but it’s unusual. Statistically, the chance of conceiving in any one month of trying-presuming regular intercourse (at least every other day around ovulation time) is about 15-20%. By the end of six months of trying, it’s 50%. And by the end of a year of trying, it’s 80%. So, don’t be too concerned if it doesn’t happen as quickly as you thought. However, if you are under the age of 35 and have been trying to conceive for one year, or if you are 35 or older and have been trying for six months without luck, contact a healthcare provider who may recommend testing to evaluate why you might not be getting pregnant.

What do I need to know before I try to get pregnant?Remember to maintain good health habits BEFORE you begin trying to conceive to increase your chances of a healthy pregnancy outcome. Important lifestyle adjustments should include eliminating smoking and drugs, and limiting alcohol intake. Begin taking prenatal vitamins, such as vitafusion Prenatal gummy vitamins that provide sufficient folate and Omega-3 DHA to reduce the chances of a baby being born with a neural tube defect, such as spina bifida.According to the March of Dimes, there is no safe time to drink alcohol during pregnancy. Alcohol can cause problems for your baby at any time during pregnancy, even before you know that you’re pregnant. Not only is drinking during pregnancy dangerous, specifically for a baby’s brain development, but studies have shown that significant alcohol consumption can also contribute to decreased fertility. So, even if getting pregnant is just an idea, and you are off birth control, be extremely mindful of alcohol intake.Visit with your healthcare provider before trying to conceive to discuss alternatives for certain medications that are not recommended for pregnancy, such as medications for high blood pressure or seizures. And if you are diabetic, try to get your diabetes under control to minimize the chance of a baby being born with any birth defects that can be linked to diabetes.

How can I maximize my chances of conceiving?You ovulate about 14 days before you get your period. So, if you experience a 28-day cycle, you are probably ovulating around day 14-15 (counting the first day of your period as day one). If you have a 35-day cycle, you are likely ovulating around day 21. To maximize fertile days, an ovulation test kit will tell you when your LH surge occurs (LH, or the luteinizing hormone, triggers ovulation and marks the begging of a fertile period), so you can make the most of your prime conception time. However, timing ovulation and rushing to have sex on demand can be stressful month after month. Stress and sex do not mix well and can lead to vaginal dryness and painful sex. Make sure to use a clinically tested, fertility-friendly lubricant like Pre-Seed, which mimics the body’s natural fertile fluids and helps keep sperm healthy and strong on its way to meet the egg.

Tips for pregnancy testing?The two-week wait to take a pregnancy test after ovulation can feel like an eternity for those who want to know whether or not their recent efforts to make a baby were successful. Luckily, some at-home pregnancy tests use advanced technology that is sensitive enough to detect tiny amounts of hCG, or the pregnancy hormone, in urine. An extremely sensitive test is the First Response Early Result Pregnancy Test, which can give an accurate result up to six days before the day of a missed period. Combo packs are also convenient when trying to conceive, such as the First Response Comfort Check Pregnancy Test kit that comes with three Early Result tests and five pregnancy test strips for added reassurance.Try to test for pregnancy first thing in the morning, as this is generally when hCG is most concentrated. However, you can test for pregnancy any time of the day. Another pro-tip when testing, if you aren’t sure whether or not you see a second line on the pregnancy test, or if the second line is faint, utilize an app such as EasyRead that can help you be certain of your result by scanning the analog test window on First Response tests. EasyRead will convert the lines into words on your phone: ‘Pregnant’ or ‘Not Pregnant’.

Other words of advice?Remember to follow good rules of health before, during and after your pregnancy journey. When trying to conceive, try to be as close as you can to your ideal body weight for a healthy pregnancy. Make sure to hydrate, get enough rest, and attend all check-ins with your healthcare provider as your journey progresses. And remember, try to relax and let the baby-making process be fun. Good luck!# # #Mary Jane Minkin, MD is Clinical Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Yale University School of Medicine.

Facebook
Twitter
Reddit
LinkedIn
Email

More
articles

Join DBN Today!

Let DBN help guide you to success!

Doctors Business Network offers everything new and existing health care providers need to establish and build a successful career! Sign up with DBN today and let us help you succeed!

DBN Blog